is when it is round and its Spines erect, we saw some of this
Species of Fish five times its size at Adventure Bay, which
if stuck with a Knife when thus distended, the Water would
spring from them in a stream to a considerable Distance, they
appeard [sic] to have little Activity in them and to be incapable of
preying upon any smaller Fish, so that their Sustenance must
consist of Insects or something they may draw from Sea Winds
the Spawn of other Fish – –
croƒsd [sic] the Equator – – –
After Dinner, the Boatswain pipd [sic] all Hands to Mischief –
but before this on the preceeding [sic] Night, those who had before
croƒsd [sic] it, had got a kind of ^ ^triangular Gallows or more properly a Gibbet,
riggd [sic] out with Hands pikes seasd [sic] together and an Iron Bar
running up and down it to sink it, in this ^ ^Machine those who had to
under go the Ceremony were to be dowsd [sic] three times into the
Water from the Fore Yard to which it was slung with a
whip to this, they had got a Peice [sic] of Iron Hoop, fild [sic]
sharp on one Edge, and jagd [sic] on the other ^ ^{by way of Razor} and prepard [sic] a
lather ^ ^Lawder for each, the first in a Tar Bucket into which they
put every kind of dirt they could collect, the other was sim-
-ply Oatmeal and Water – the first was for those who
should refuse to give them any Liquor and the milder
Operation for the more liberal, but one of these and the
dowsing none where [sic] to escape – with these formidable pre-
-perations, with which every one were acquainted, after din-
-ner us nonequatorians were all sent down below, the
Hatchways coverd [sic] with Tarpaulins and a centry [sic] placd [sic]
over each to prevent any coming upon or seeing the dark
Mysteries going on upon Deck, presently we heard a Voice